Dr. L. Brinker
American Literature; Contact to the Civil War
10/15/2013
Models of Living
Puritan religion and eighteenth century Deist thinking are two different movements. The ideas expressed in each of these movements follow the same guidelines but with different principles when describing how one should act through their daily lives. Whether it be through following the expectations of God or through self improvement, Puritan and Deist thinking go through different ways to live by to be the best person one should be.
The Puritan way of life was a religious way of thinking that was driven by one underlining thought, God rules all. To be more specific Puritans expressed God as a way of life where “scriptures alone reveal the divine origin.” This origin is that God was the creator of the earth and decides all the good; everyone should strive to live their lives through faith as described in scripture. With this notion and way …show more content…
Winthrop poses questions in certain situations that have dealt with every day issues. Each question is followed by a solution where at times a rebuttal is even given to questions that may have different outcomes. In this way Winthrop explains his model as questioning and answering ways of life and merely quoting scripture as his proof to explain reasonings. One life model that he lists is to “Do good to all, especially to the household of faith” (Winthrop 168) and proves this statement with more scripture, “If thine Enemy hungry, feed him, Love your enemies , do good to them that you, Matthew:5.44” (Winthrop 168). At the end of Winthrop’s back and forth of life decisions he states, “Therefor let us choose life, that we and our seed may live by obeying his voice…” (Winthrop 177), which summarizes that in daily life one shall follow the expectations that God has set as a way of